


The Last of the Famous International Playboys

by i_amthecosmos, magdalyna



Series: The Gangster Series [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Brainwashed Liam, Demolitions man Niall, Genderfluid Harry, Knifeplay, M/M, Mentioned prositution, Sociopathic Louis, gangster au, murder off-stage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 14:18:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3384836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_amthecosmos/pseuds/i_amthecosmos, https://archiveofourown.org/users/magdalyna/pseuds/magdalyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam would do anything for Louis. Since they're both gangsters, he often has to see how far that  goes.</p><p>(Or, Liam and Louis as the Kray brothers.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last of the Famous International Playboys

**Author's Note:**

> This is another RP of mine and Magdalyna's that I've turned into a fic. Most of it is me and theirs together, but I added some extra. Title from the Morrissey song about Ronnie and Reggie Kray.

Quiet. The sound of ice cubes clinking in a glass. Liam watched as he poured whiskey over the cubes, and took a first sip, grimacing at the taste. He’d never truly gotten used to spirits, he drank them so infrequently. He only drank when he needed to, like now. He took another sip.

Next to him, Louis sat and watched him, hand on his arm, not leaving him alone. Liam was glad, he didn’t want Louis to leave his sight. Even if he was the reason he was so upset now. 

Another sip.

“It’s all right Liam,” Louis said. “You did wonderfully. You took care of me.” Liam nodded, knowing it was true but still not trusting himself to speak. “Don’t worry about the rest. I’m going to call the boys to take care of it. For now, I’m going to run you a bath. You need to relax, Liam.”

“Okay Lou,” Liam said, and his voice sounded dull to him, as he took another drink. Relax, what a laugh. 

How did you relax after killing a man?  
…

Liam met Louis in school, when he was about thirteen. He was getting the piss beaten out of him after sports again, a daily occurrence that even his boxing lessons were not doing much to diminish. William Miller was just pulling back to deliver another swing, when suddenly a tiny dervish jumped on his back and started kicking and punching. In a short time, the new boy had cleared all of them off, and then started brushing the dirt and grass from his clothes, staring at Liam like a cat interrupted from his nap.

“I would have left you to it, but there were a lot of them,” the boy said. Liam just brushed his fingers across his mouth, they came away red-stained. “I’m Louis. I’ll get you something for that lip if you want.” 

“I’m Liam. Thanks, but I don’t want to head by the nurse. They’ll call my parents.” He couldn’t deal with seeing his mum cry again this week.

“Fair enough,” Louis said, one eyebrow raised. “But if you go into class looking like that, they’ll call anyway. So I guess you and me just have to skip, don’t we?” 

“Um, okay?” Liam had never skipped class in his life, and from the look Louis gave him, he was sure that he could tell. But Liam went with Louis as he showed him a back way out. 

When Louis took Liam’s hand to help him over the fence, he already knew that he was in love.

…

Liam had drunk about half of his whiskey when Louis called him into the bathroom. He was running a tub of hot water, and put some oil in it that smelled nice. “Strip and get in, I’ll be here,” Louis said, and Liam did as he was told. When he was naked, he got in the tub, and Louis was there, cradling him back to front.

“It’s all right,” Louis said in his ear. “I’ll handle everything. That man must have been mad. We’d already told Lee’s men to leave us alone.” Liam didn’t reply as Louis rubbed between his shoulder blades, trying to get his muscles to loosen up. “You had to save us, not your fault.” 

“I guess,” Liam said and Louis made a shushing noise.

“No, you did exactly what you were supposed to. You did the right thing. Don’t worry about it anymore. Put a call in to Zap, and he’s got his boys on it now. There won’t be much left of him soon.”

Liam didn’t know until he heard a whimper that was coming from him that he was crying, and Louis immediately cuddled him harder. “No, no, don’t. Liam, don’t. I treasure you, and I’ll always be with you. We will handle things like this together, okay?”

“Okay,” Liam said. He loved Louis more than anything in life. It wouldn’t be the first time he killed a rival gangster to keep him safe. Louis kissed the shell of his ear, and he felt himself start to calm.

…

After the school yard incident, Louis and Liam became best mates. Louis was small but scrappy, unafraid of anyone, and he accepted Liam, even though he would tease him about his clothes and his too-polite nature. Soon Liam started talking back, giving Louis lip when he felt he needed to, and Louis would smile at him, proud. Louis could make other friends, and he did, but they always seemed to be hanging around each other the most.

When Louis was about fifteen, he liked to talk about girls, bragging about what he did with them, but Liam never actually saw him with anyone. He never said a word to condradict him of course, but he still noticed. Liam had no girls to brag about, or boys, so he said nothing at all. If anyone happened to ask him, he would just shrug and change the subject. This didn’t fool anyone, and Louis bruised his knuckles on boys who called Liam a poofter. 

“You should at least try to look like you’re interested,” Louis said once when he was getting ice for his hand, and Liam bit back the _Like you?_ in his mind, and got some of his tape for Louis’ knuckles. Other than that, they never talked about it.

…

When the bath started to cool, Louis got them out and dried Liam, bundling him in a giant fluffy robe. They went back to the bedroom, and Louis rubbed Liam’s feet as he laid back, staring at the ceiling. There was a truly ridiculous chandelier hanging from the ceiling and he never knew why he let Louis talk him into it. It was something to focus on, besides the way the light went out of that thug’s eyes when he stabbed him.

…

Liam supposed it started with the knives.

His mother was the one to get him his first, surprisingly enough. He was still taking boxing, and he’d used it to good effect on some of the neighbor thugs, but it was a shock when his mum came home with the knife and practice model. “You know, I won’t ever tell you not to be friends with Louis,” she said, her voice hesitant. Liam nodded, he know what his parents thought of him. Probably all the adults on the street thought the same.

“But,” she continued, “I know you need to protect yourself, and I’m just giving this to you in case. Don’t tell the other boys you have a knife, it’ll just rile them up. Keep it a secret. I hope you never had to bring it out. Use the practice knife to get used to opening it fast.” Then she handed them to Liam, dropped her hands to her sides and went to the kitchen. 

Liam stared at them, before taking them up to his room. 

He showed them to Louis the next day. 

Lou’s eyes widened, his gaze going between the practice and the regular knife. “Karen bought you those?” He stepped even closer, in Liam’s space. He could feel the breath on his neck. “I can’t believe it, that’s brilliant.” He stepped back, just a little, and Liam could see Louis was hard in his trousers. “Show me how you’re learning to open it.” 

“Okay Lou,” Liam said, his voice hushed. He had a semi himself, and his voice trembled a bit. He opened the practice knife, clumsy and slow, but he was using the proper method he’d looked up online. “You open it like that.” 

“Maybe a bit faster,” Louis grumbled, but he still looked fascinated. 

“I’m working on that, I’ve had it only one day remember.” He closed it and opened it again. “I like how it feels, in my hand. I don’t know how to describe it.” 

“Like…it’s part of your hand? Like it was meant to be there?” Liam looked up, startled, and Louis nodded. “That’s what my old stepfather used to say about his Bowie knife. Before he was taken to prison, of course.” 

“Of course,” Liam repeated dumbly. They never talked about his stepfather. 

Louis ran his fingers up Liam’s other arm, the one that had the closed real knife. “I know you Liam, you’ll practice and practice with those until you’re amazing at it. I want one now, so we can practice together.” Louis got up in his space again, and kissed him on his neck. “You’d like that, seeing me with a knife in my hand?” 

Liam felt his face go hot, and he struggled for control before saying “Yes,” in a small voice.

“Thought so,” Louis said, triumphant. “Get on the bed. Take your clothes off first.” 

Liam stripped down and lay down, watching as Louis shoved his clothes off and threw them across the room. Then he took the practice knife and put it against Liam’s chest, up against his nipple. “Like that?” 

“Louis….” Liam moved, restless, wanting Louis to touch him. Instead there was the hard metal of the practice knife against his soft skin. He knew it couldn’t cut him, but it made him so insanely hot. “Louis, come here.”

Louis smirked and crawled between Liam’s legs, licking at the head of his cock before sucking it down, still pressing the practice knife against Liam’s nipple. Liam moaned and put his hands over his head. He knew by now that Louis hated having Liam touch his head when he was going down, considering it interference. So he put his hands up.

“Should be quick,” Louis mused as he pulled off, other hand circling his dick, holding it in place. “Don’t want your mum catching us, do we? I don’t think she knows how far I’ve corrupted you yet.” 

Liam couldn’t really answer, especially not since Louis just started blowing him again, so he moaned in response. As Louis sucked him, the knife got higher and higher until suddenly it was against his throat. Louis pressed slightly, and then Liam was shooting into Lou’s mouth, moaning hard enough to echo off the walls.

“Good boy,” Louis said, pulling off, eyes still on Liam. He let the practice knife fall to the side. “You’re always my good boy.” Louis started knee-walking up until he was straddling Liam’s face, and Liam opened his mouth. 

“Always yours,” he said before Louis stuffed his mouth full of cock. That would always be true.

…

Louis rubbed his feet, and then his calves and thighs, paying close attention to any tension there. Then he flipped him over and rubbed his arse, his back and shoulders. All the while, he kept praising Liam. “My good Liam, so strong, so loyal. You’re the best thing that’s mine. The very best. If we lost all the money and had to start over, I could do it with you.” 

“Yeah,” Liam said in agreement. Truthfully, Louis loved the money, and Liam never turned it down either. They made a good living providing things that legal channels frowned on, and when Liam felt guilty about it, Louis would just dismiss it. _We let people make their own decisions, Li_ , he would say. _I never force anyone into anything they don’t already want to do._

And that was true, to a point.

Now Louis was kneading Liam’s shoulders while thrusting his cock between Liam’s ass cheeks. Liam moaned and Louis laughed at him. “Remember, you have to tell me. Use your words, Liam.” 

“Can you fuck me? Please, I want it,” he said, and as an answer, he heard Louis getting the lube bottle from the nightstand. 

“That’s a good boy,” Louis said, as he pressed two greased fingers inside his hole. Liam whined as Louis fingered him fast, always impatient to get inside him. He knew that Liam could take it, so he didn’t bother being slow. Soon he was slicked up and inside Liam. “Oh, that’s it. My Liam,” Louis said as he rocked his hips.

He always called Liam his. It was the truth.

…

The time with the knives hadn’t been their first time fucking, of course. That had happened earlier that summer. It had been a hot day, nothing to do, and Louis had managed to steal a box of wine and sneak it back to the park after footie had finished. They got some plastic cups from the youth center and drank until their mouths were red-stained. 

Liam didn’t even know he was kissing Louis until Louis pulled them apart. “Not here, not here,” he whispered, and before Liam could really be upset, he was pulled them to their feet. They stumbled until Louis found an empty shed used by the park gardener. “Here Liam,” he said. “We don’t need anyone talking about us, this is safe.” 

“Okay,” Liam said, and they moved to the earth floor, Louis kissing his mouth then, hands busy pulling his clothes out of the way. Eventually Louis was on top of him, biting and kissing him as he wanked them both off together. Louis had to use both of his small hands, but he managed well enough. Liam was groaning and coming over his hand before he knew it.

“Louis,” he panted, as Louis kept kissing him, kept wanking until he’d come over Liam’s stomach as well. “Louis…I love you.” 

Louis stopped, looking at him, suddenly very serious. Liam swallowed, but kept going, the wine making him braver. “I do, I love you, I loved you from the first time I met you, I’m yours, always.” 

Louis stared down at him, and just when Liam thought he was going to cry, Louis smiled and leaned down to give Liam a gentle kiss. “Leeum,” he said, sing-songed, “I treasure you. You’re the most important thing to me, after my mum and sisters. If you’re mine, I’ll take care of you, okay?” 

“Okay. And I’ll take care of you. Love you.” Liam felt relief, that Louis was still with him and accepted his love, even though he didn’t say the words back, exactly. Louis leaned down for another peck, and pulled his shirt off to clean up the mess on Liam’s stomach.

“And I adore you Liam. Now let’s clean up and get out of here before the groundskeeper finds us.” Louis had to help Liam to his feet, and they left the dregs of the box wine and Louis’ come-covered shirt in the shed. 

…

“Liam.” Liam blinked awake-Louis was shaking him. He sat up, bleary. He remembered falling asleep after Louis fucked him boneless, something he didn’t think he would be able to do. “I know it’s early, but the boys are here, gonna tell us how the job went.” Louis turned his back on Liam and left the room.

Liam got dressed, still moving slowly. He didn’t particularly want to hear about the job, he still wanted to forget about it, but he put on some clothes and made it to the sitting room. The boys, as Louis called them, were all there.

Zap was sitting on the love seat, with Harry. He was leaning back, legs spread far, and Harry was curled up in his space, head on his shoulder. Zap took care of a lot of troublesome things for Louis and Liam. Harry, meanwhile, took care of Zap. 

“Hey,” Harry said, and he was always slightly surprised at how deep her voice was. She smiled at him, one arm around Zap’s shoulders. She was wearing a long skirt and a tank top that night. Liam always thought of her as a girl when she was dressed like one, but he knew she wouldn’t care what gender he referred to her at as long as he was polite. 

Liam didn’t always understand Harry. She met Zap when she was working at one of the massage parlors Louis ran. Harry had been a bit of a fuck-up, and ran up gambling debts she couldn’t pay. Louis had her come to his office, sat her down and told her that she had a choice of ways to work it off. She chose whoring, and never seemed to regret it. When Liam asked her about it, she just smiled. “Better than some of the other options, and I had a good time.” Liam had never been that easy-going.

Over to the side, Niall was sitting in one of the chairs, shoes off and his feet up on an ottoman. Niall was a demolitions man by trade, but he did some other stuff for them as well. They didn’t need explosions that often, and he needed to pay the rent. They all looked much more relaxed than he thought he would under the circumstances. 

“So boys,” Louis said. “Now that we’re all here, what did you have to tell us?” 

“We took care of it,” Zap said, looking up at them. He took Harry’s hand in his and she nodded, looking at him. “We took it apart, burned what we could.” 

“The rest went in the river,” Niall said. Liam looked around, but all the help were asleep. He made sure to check the backgrounds of all the staff, and swept the house for bugs on a regular basis. He had to watch that kind of thing, since Louis would never think to. Liam looked at Niall and nodded.

“Good,” Louis said. He had the scotch bottle in his hand, and Liam wondered how many drinks he’d had recently, if he needed to watch that too. He couldn’t have Louis dying in a drunken accident. “Anyone want a drink?” 

Zap nodded, and so did Niall. “I’ll just have some water, thanks,” Harry said, so polite as always. Louis went to the bar and got three scotches and two waters. “There you are lads, a toast to a good night’s work.” Niall took his and saluted with his glass. The others did the same, including Liam. He drank his water, and pretended this was just another business meeting. About something trivial, not about a body.

He felt a hand on his shoulder then, and he looked up to see Louis looking down at him. “All right?” Louis whispered, and he smiled, relived. Louis was still thinking about him. Louis rubbed his shoulder. He could never help showing how much Liam meant to him, and Liam worried about that too. He knew that someone could get to Louis through him, probably. So he had to make sure that would never happen. 

Louis finished his drink. “All right lads, it’s late,” he said, addressing the small group. “Does anyone want to stay here? There’s guest rooms if you want, it’s been a long night.”

Niall put his shoes back on and stood up. “I’ll head back myself,” he said. “I told my mate I’d be back home before light.” And then he shook Louis’ hand, nodded at Liam, and let himself out. 

“Me and Zap will take a room,” Harry said, smiling. Zap just looked at her fondly, and Louis directed them to one of the guest rooms. They went down the hall holding hands, and Louis looked back at Liam, smiling.

“They’re sweet together, aren’t they? Harry’s been very good for Zaynie, he was drinking a bottle a day when they met.” Louis said down on the arm of the chair Liam was seated in, and he took Liam’s hand. “They’re like us a little.” 

“Nobody’s like us,” Liam said. He couldn’t compare them to anyone, because nobody, not even Harry, had the level of responsibility he had to make sure they would both be okay. Nobody had sacrificed what he had-his family, friends, his old life-for Louis. And he had never once had Louis tell him he loved him back. “I love you Lou,” he said.

“I know you do, my Leeum,” Louis said, smiling at him, like it was nothing. It was everything. 

Louis looked a bit surprised when Louis grabbed his wrist. He raised an eyebrow at Liam, but said nothing.

“Say it back,” Liam said, just wanting to hear it. Just one time. “Lou…say you love me. Let me know that I’m right, to do this for you.”

Louis didn’t say anything at first, but when Liam didn’t let go, he moved closer. “I can’t. Liam, I can’t. I told you, I don’t feel emotions like other people, I can’t lie to you, Leeum, daring…” Liam closed his eyes and let go of Louis’ wrist. 

He could hear Louis stand up, and he wondered if he went too far, and that Louis was going to have to make it without him now. But then he felt a hand on his face and he opened his eyes. “I can’t lie to my Liam,” Louis said, voice so soft he could barely hear. “But again, you are my favorite thing that’s mine. You’re my treasure, and I will do whatever it takes to keep you. But I can’t lie to you. Can you be satisfied with that?” 

“Yes,” he said, and Louis straightened up, smiling at him. 

“Good. Let’s get back to bed then. We’ll sleep in a bit, since we were up late.” Liam nodded and got up. He knew he’d be up early so he could keep tabs on their businesses, but he liked to make Louis think he could get him to relax sometimes. 

“Go to sleep love,” Louis cooed in his ear when they went back to bed. He curled up and Louis spooned him. “It’ll all be better in the morning.”

That was never true, but Liam closed his eyes all the same.

…

“I think it’s time for me to move on.” Liam looked up at Louis, surprised. They were out of school now, and Louis had started working for some of the local toughs, mostly stealing. Liam helped him out, when he could, and now Lou’s family had regular meals on the table and enough money for clothes. And now Lou was talking about…leaving?

“Where are you going to go?” Liam said, feeling his heart pound. Louis flicked the fringe out of his eyes, and Liam felt his stomach twist. Louis couldn’t leave him.

“Things are okay here, you know, but there’s not much room for forward movement.” Louis sat on Liam’s bed, arms looking at him. “I just have a lot of ideas. I really want to start something. Maybe a bigger city?”

“Lou, the big cities are all taken care of. It’s hard to move up there.” It was hard to move in at all, some of the criminal gangs had been around for generations. “Where do you think you would go?” 

“Manchester? London? I don’t know.” Louis shrugged and Liam wanted to shake him. Louis couldn’t do this alone. He _couldn’t_ , he would bite off more than he could chew, and he’d wind up getting killed because of it.

“Take me with you,” Liam blurted out. Louis didn’t even look surprised, he just raised an eyebrow. “I’ll help you, together we can figure out the best way to enter a new place. I can look out for you. Please Lou…take me with you. I love you and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“You mean that?” Louis’ eyes bored through him, he swallowed and nodded his head. “If you mean that, then I’ll say yes. I’ll let you come with me. Bring your knives, you’ll probably need them. Are you willing, Leeum? Would you use them if you had to?” 

“I would.” Liam had already flicked his knife out on one occasion, and held it to the throat of a boy that had threatened Louis. That got him and his friends walking quickly, they hadn’t been back again either.

“That’s my good boy,” Louis said, and he reached for Liam’s hand. “Come here.” Liam straddled Louis’ lap, and they kissed, Louis biting Liam’s lip. “Okay, we have to decide where to go, and make a plan. I know you love that part, Li.” 

“We’ll make them together.” He was giddy, they were going to run away together. He had been waking up in the night, terrified he would lose Louis to someone else. But if he did this, if he kept Louis safe, Lou would always need him. This was perfect.

It was a couple of years before Liam realized that Louis probably knew what Liam would say, and planned that conversation. He never asked Lou for sure though. He wasn’t sure how he would feel if he was right.

…

When Liam woke up the next morning, he was alone in bed. He got up, had his tea and shower, and when he went into the kitchen, Louis was there, on the phone with one of his people. Liam had toast and another cuppa, and then hugged Louis. Louis smiled at him, but indicated the phone. Liam nodded and headed for the gym.

After his workout and another shower, Louis found him. “I bought you something,” Louis said, smiling at him. “I popped out to the shop and got these.” He showed Liam a new pair of cuff links, silver, and Liam felt the smile steal over his face.

“Thank you Lou, they’re perfect.” Louis preened and kissed him, putting a hand on Liam’s jaw to hold him there. When the kiss ended, Louis took a step back.

“Okay, we need to go soon, there’s some meetings we need to do, and I want you there…” Louis turned his back, and Liam suddenly thought of something.

“Louis.” Louis stopped. “Do you remember my first practice knife? Do you know what ever happened to it?” 

Louis was silent for a moment, then he said “You know, I’m not sure. I think we left it by accident when we had to clear out of our first apartment.” Liam knew what Louis meant-they had to leave in a hurry. “Remember that? I think it just got left.” 

“Oh.” Louis turned back to watch him, and Liam didn’t know what to tell him, why it seemed so important all the sudden. “I was just thinking of it, last night.” 

“You don’t need a practice knife now, darling,” Lou’s voice was fond, and he walked back to him, putting a hand on Liam’s neck. “You’re so good now. I know you liked it, but…can’t keep track of everything.”

“Suppose not,” Liam said, and Louis stood up on his tiptoes to kiss him. 

“That’s my boy. Now, we have to go. Empire to run and all that.” Louis turned and walked out of the gym, leaving Liam with his new present. Liam looked them over and figured it didn’t matter. Like Lou said, he didn’t need a practice knife. 

It was a funny thing to be attached to.


End file.
